Wilson



- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- s. D. KEENE. MACHINE FOR FOLDING GOTTON LAPS.

Patented Oct. 2 8, 1884.

INVENTEIR $WQMM WITNESSES ww f (No Model.) V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.-

S. D. KEENE. MACHINE FOR FOLDING COTTON LAPS.

. Patented 0m. 28, 1884.

\NVENTEIR WITNEEEEE LII NITED STATES ATENT flrricn.

SAMUEL D. KEENE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHOIJE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO LEVI \VILSON, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR FOLDING co ToN LAPs- F-FLFEQIFICATIQN forming part. of Letters Patent .-\pplicatio1.filcd May 20,1584.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL D. KnnNn, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Foldtion of a machine for folding the cotton lap or sheet as it comes from the lap-forming machine back and forth into a rectangular stack or pile of proper height to form, when compressed, a bale of the required thickness.

In an application for Letters Patent numbered 132,180, filed by me even date herewith, I have described a method of making bales of raw cotton or cotton waste, in which the folding of the sheets of the same back and forth into a rectangular pile preparatory to compressing into bales forms an important step in the process. In this application I propose to claim mechanism adapted to form such piles; and my invention therein consists in the construction and combination of the various parts, that will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and form the subject-matter of the claims.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawingsfor abetter comprehension of my invention, Figure 1 represents aside elevation of my lap-folding device in connec:

tion with a portion of an ordinary lap-forming machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the lap-folding devices, the same being (10- tached from the lap-forming machine. Fig. 3 shows a spiral grooved collar attached to the outer end of the condenser-shaft of the lap- A represents the end of an ordinary lapforming machine, the delivery-rolls B B there of being arranged as usual.

B is a driving spurgcar mounted upon a shaft, a, journaled in bearings formed in the frame of the lap-forming machine, which shaft is rotated by the following means:

1 represents theusual cross-feed shaft, driven from the counter-shaft by belt in the ordinary manner. This cross-feed shaft 1 has secured to it a gear-wheel, 2, which meshes with a No. 307,119, dated October 28,1884.

(No model.)

larger intermediate gearwheel, 3, which in turn meshes with the gear-wheel B on the shaft a, journaled in the end of the lap-forming machine A, as before stated. This gearwheel 3 also meshes with a gear-wheel, 4, on the lower feedroller, B", thus forming the means for operating said rolls as well as the lap forming mechanism. The driving spurgear B meshes with another spur-gear, G, which is mounted upon a shaft, b, also jour nalcd in bearings formed in the front extension of the frame of the lap-forming machine, which shaft serves also as a pivot to the'shell or case K at the front of the frame of the lapforming machine. This shell or case K is a box of suitable material and size, and preferably in use extends outward and upward from the front of the lap-forming machine, and has pivoted to its outer end a pendent shell or case,'H", substantially like the case K, the chambers of the two shells or cases directly communicating with each other. The office of this shell or case H is by oscillating back and forth through a certain space to fold back and forth the lap which is delivered by it. To produce this oscillation the spur-gear O has a wristpin, 0, to whichis pivoted a pitman, C, which in turn is pivoted to a crank-arm, C, which crank-arm is secured upon a shaft, 0, journaled in bearings formed in the top end. of the case K, and upon which the extension H is rigidly secured, and thus by means of this construction the extension H is oscillated back and forth.

To take the lap delivered into the shell or case K from the delivery-rolls of the lap forming machine and discharge it from the lower endof the extension H the following devices are used. A roller, 0', mounted upon the shaft 1) and rotated with it, carries an endless belt, 0, which passes over another roller, E, pivoted near the upper corner of the shell or case K, thence over another roller, E, pivoted on the shaft 0 in theupper part of the shell or case K, thence down over and around another roller, E", pivoted near the lower end of the shell or case 11 thence up over rollers E and E, pivoted near the lower outer end of the shell or case K, and thence back to the roller The shaft to which the roller E is secured has on one end a spur-gear, K, which meshes with another spurgear, K and causes the shaft on which this gear is mounted to 1'0? same direction as the belt 0' is driven within tate. This shaft carries a roller, H, which in I turn drives an endless belt, H which passes over a roller, H, in the upper end of the shell or case H and causes the portion of the said belt adjacent to the belt 0' to move in the the same shell or case-that is, toward the bottom end thereof. The lap shown by the letter S passes from the delivery-rolls B B upon the upper surface of the belt 0", and is carried by such belt over the rollers G, E, and E, where it is seized and gripped between the belt 0 and the belt IF, the belt H" compressing it toward the belt 0 to some extent, and making it uniform in thickness, and delivering it out of the open end of the shell or case H, and folding it regularly, as shown by the letters S S It is important in this operation of folding back and forth of the lap that the mouth of the shell or case II should remain at a substantiall y uniform distance above the pile as it is built up, and at no time at a great distance from it, in order that there should be at no time such a strain upon the lap by its own weight as to endanger its integrity. I accomplish this preferably by the following mechanism: A counterbalance weight, R with a rope, 1t, passing up and over pulleys 0', has the other end, B, of the rope attached to the upper outer end of the shell or case K, and supports nearly the weight of such end and its various connections. Another rope, L, attached to a pulley-block, L", passes down through a pulley-block, L", attached to the outer upper end of the shell or case K, thence back through the first-named pulley-block L, thence over a pulley, L, secured directly above the condenser-shaft M of the lap-forming machine, and from such last-named pulley L the other end, L, of said rope passes down to the outer end of said shaft M, and is then secured to a collar, M, upon the end of said shaft. This collar has a spiral groove, (2, throughout its length, adapted to receive the rope L, and has a slight longitudinal move ment upon the shaft M, to which it is locked by a pin, M, dropping into a longitudinal groove, 0, on said shaft. The rotation of the shaft M carries with it the collar M, which, winding up the rope L, gradually raises the outer end of the shell or case K, and this collar carries such length of spiral groove that the winding up of the rope will raise the outer end of such shell or case sufficiently for the folding of a pile necessary when compressed to form a bale of the desired size. \V hen in its revolution the rope L has reached the outer end of the collar, it falls into asloping recess, M, between such end and a screw-cap, M on the end ofthe shaft, and by a wedging and drawing action slides the collar inwardly upon the shaft M, and also the pin M" in its longitudinal groove 0, until such pin falls into a circumferential groove, f, around the shaft, when the collar becomes loose on the shaft, which permits it to revolve freely, the rope L thereon unwinding, and thereby permitting the outer end of the shell or case K to drop into position for folding a new pile. By means of this screwcap M the collar M can be easily removed and collars substituted with a different length and pitch ofspiral groove, so as to adjust the elevation of the outer end of the shell or case K as desired.

N is a lever pivoted to the side of the case K, as at a, carrying at its long arm a weight, N, adapted to be adjusted upon said leverarm, and resting at its upper short arm bcneath the outer journal ends of the roller E, the j ournal-bearings for which in the ease K being elongated to permit of a certain play of the roller, as shown at a. The object of this weighted pivoted lever is to regulate the proper tension ofthe endless belt (3, so as to always keep the same taut; otherwise the lap would not be of uniform thickness and delivered regularly because of the sagging of the endless belt.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination, with a lap-forming machine, of the lap-folding attachment consisting of the inclined case K, pivoted at the end of said machine, depending case H pivoted to the case K, endless belts G and H, rollers mounted within said cases H and K, for supporting and operating said belts, pitman 0", crank-arm C, wrist-pin C, spur-gears B O and K K and mechanism for suspending said lap-folding attachment and operating the gear B, all constructed, arranged, and adapted for operation substantially as and for .the purposes described and shown.

2. The combination, with the ease K and the roller E, vertically movable in journalhearings in said ease, of the weighted lever l\ N, pivoted to the side of the case, and resting at its upper end beneath the journal ends of the said roller, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shown.

3. The combination, with the condensershaft M, having the collar M thereon, and the cases K and H of the lap-folding attachment, of the mechanism for suspending and raising the said lap-folding attachment, consisting of the weighted rope R It, pulleys therefor, rope L L, pulley-blocks L L, and pulley L", all constructed, arranged, and adapted for operation substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shown.

4. The combination, with the eondensershaft M, having a longitudinal groove, 0, and circumferential groove f formed therein, of the collar M, having aspiral groove, d, recess M, and pin M, and screw-cap M as and for the purposes set forth and shown.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL D. KEENE.

\Vitnesses:

THOMAS A. J ENOKES, CHAS. D. WILsON.

IOC) 

